Memories of Light Revised
by AirAang12
Summary: Aang remembers things from his past. He has faint memories of his parents. And is having some troubling thoughts that are making him depressed and reclusive. Katara is worried about him and trys to help him. KATAANG FLUFF! Rewritten and Revised. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 – Memories**

I can't remember my family. My mother, father, even sisters or brothers are all a fantasy to me… if I ever had them.

Sometimes when I lay in bed while everyone is fast asleep, and I, myself am drifting away, a strange blurry picture forms in my mind. It is filled with a golden, warm light that shines in your face but doesn't hurt your eyes. And a joyful laughter were I would feel a happiness swell inside me like a big balloon.

Every once in a while I would have this strange feeling of security, that I could not explain. I would hear a soft, beautiful singing that poured over me like molten sunshine, and I would feel warm and cozy as if someone's arms were wrapped around me.  
Then I would smell the sweet fragrances of roses tickle my nose and a soft, warm hand gently caresses my face.

But then the most wonderful thing would happen, I would always hear a whispery voice say _"I love you….I love you… I love….you…."_ And I would drift to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2- Sun's Voice**

A little girl sat on the hill and sang to the sun as she did every morning. She would come out before the sun woke and go to her place on the hill and sing in her whispery voice.

"_Silvery voices,  
Golden sunshine,  
Joyful laughter,_  
_Warmth and love._

_When the day begins and you are still asleep.  
I come atop this hill and sing a song to keep.  
This song that wakes you and helps you start your day,  
I sing it to you so everyone will live and play._

_And you will feel a joy,  
As I wake your golden face,  
As I sing this song,  
You sing along,  
And the world together we'll wake."_

Then she would watch as the sun opened its eyes and woke the rest of the world. She would cry because she had to wait a whole day before she would be able to sing again. For even though she had a beautiful voice she was afraid of other people hearing her.

But even this did not prevent her from being heard by. A little boy who played the flute would follow the girl every morning to her place atop the hill and listen to her sing from a tree. Soon enough he fell in love…


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3- Stranger**

"Aang!" called Katara, looking around frantically.

"Aang, where are you?" She cried louder, cupping her hands around her mouth. _Aang...Aang…_the mountains called back, her voice echoing off them. She lowered her hands and frowned, her dark eyebrows pulling together in confusion and desperation.

"It's no good, he won't hear us." said Toph, trotting up to stand beside her. Coming to a stop next to the waterbender, she bent down and rested her palm on the hard ground. Katara looked down expectantly at her.

Only to be disappointed, "No…No, I don't feel anything. He's not on foot. That's for sure." Toph mumbled, her blurry eyes squinting, like she was trying to see something through a thick fog.

Katara groaned in frustration, spun around and stomped into the woods. Leaving a trail of thick dust behind her. Toph sighed and shook her head in annoyance before trotting after her.

"I know, it's just, I really need to talk to him." Katara breathed, slowing. "Something is wrong! He just seems so…" she said, unable to find the right word.

"Depressed?" suggested Toph, catching up.

"Exactly!" she cried, her eyebrows pulling together again. She began her quick pace, but this time Toph did not have to run to keep up. "He hasn't spoken to me all week," she continued, "And we barely ever see him any more," Katara sighed, and paused, hanging her head."...I miss him." She whispered.

"Well, we won't find him now." Toph said firmly, "He is probably already off on his glider flying away to some cave, and-" her half closed lids suddenly flashed open in shock and she shot her arm out in front of Katara, pulling her to a stop.

"…Wait…" she said, her head tilted, listening hard. "Did you hear that?" "What?" asked Katara, looking down at her tiny friend; a little alarmed at the urgency in Toph's voice.

"Shhh!" she whispered furiously, "…listen" she said, her eyes squeezed shut in concentration.

The two girls waited in silence for a moment. Suddenly, they heard a faint rustling of leaves, they looked up into the tree above them, and could barely distinguish a dark shape of a person in the shadows. But in the blink of an eye the being was gone.

"He went that way!" cried Toph, pointing to the left.

The two girls sprinted down the forest trail catching glimpses of the person as they ran.  
They soon discovered that the person was quite slight, as he jumped almost weightlessly from tree to tree.  
They followed him till they reached the end of the forest.

"Where'd he go," said Toph furiously, looking around, and searching for vibrations "I can't feel him anywhere!" She was determined to find out who that strange boy was.

"Come on, let's go home," said Katara breathlessly, bending over and resting her hands on her knees. "Aang is probably already there."

The two girls turned around and headed back to camp, looking around to see if they could spot the boy again.  
When they were a few steps from camp, out of the corner of her eye. Katara could swear she saw a large figure gliding in the sky towards camp.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- Questions Unanswered**

The two girls arrived at camp where they met Sokka, as usual, eating his dinner by the crackling fire.

"You couldn't even wait for us to start eating?" asked Katara, in mock sarcasm. Dragging her oversized bag to the fire and using it as a seat.

"You guys were gone too long!" said Sokka, his eyes widening innocently. "And I was hungry!" He said, helping himself to more fruit.

"You're always hungry!" Katara muttered, rolling her bright blue eyes. She bent over and snatched the bowl of berries from Sokka's hands. "Hey!" he cried, looking outraged. Katara turned away, ignoring him and popped a purple bush berry into her mouth.

"She's right you know." added Toph sitting down beside him, grinning broadly.  
Suddenly, Katara, Toph, and Sokka's attention was diverted. Aang had just glided into camp and landed on Appa with a soft puffing noise.

"Where have you been!" cried Toph, jumping to her feet and throwing her arms up in frustration.  
Katara sat perfectly still, her mouth hanging open in astonishment.

Aang looked highly embarrassed and rubbed the back of his neck in his good-natured way. "I…U-Uh…I was just ….you know…umm…out." He said, his face flushing scarlet.

Katara let the bowl and its many multicolored berries fall out of her hands, spilling the few sweet treats inside. She leapt up and ran into Aang, flinging her arms tightly around his neck and knocking him over with the force of the hug. **(A.N. **_**Or I should say glomp! XDDD**_ He emitted a soft "Oof!" at being knocked over by an almost fully grown young woman.

Aang lay pressed on the ground, his face redder then ever "Nice to see you too." he gasped, his eyebrows traveling even higher up his forehead as he acknowledged their position. "I've been so worried abut you!" Katara cried furiously, her sapphire eyes flashing with annoyance; her face was also very pink.

Seeming to understand their awkward position Katara, lifted her self off Aang embarrassedly and brushed off her dress in a very dignified sort of manner. He lay on the ground looking just as bewildered and red as he had when she knocked him over.

Katara smiled tentatively and held her hand out, making a point not to look back at Toph and Sokka's shocked and annoyingly curious expressions. Aang took her hand gratefully and she pulled him to his feet.

She put both hands on his strong shoulders and held him at arms length. She looked into his silver eyes, and asked "What's wrong?"

Aang stepped back and looked down, avoiding Katara's concerned eyes "Nothing." he mumbled, becoming very preoccupied with a black stone that sat next to his foot.

"You know I know you better then that." She said putting her hands on her hips; and giving him a slightly despairing look.  
Aang blushed "I-It's nothing…" he stammered. "I don't want to talk about it." He finished looking at his feet again.

Katara eyes widened. She knew that whenever Aang didn't want to talk about something, especially with her, it had to be serious. She and Aang had a special bond; they loved each other like brother and sister, and trusted each other above anybody else. But they also held a warm place in their hearts for each other that they were afraid to admit to.

Katara took his hand in hers and calmly said "Come on, lets go for a walk." Aang looked down at their entwined hands, and she saw his eyes widen and his cheeks turn a faint shade of pink. Nevertheless he agreed solemnly with a nod of his head.

"And what about me?" called Sokka, making Katara look at him for the first time since the embarrassing, but strangely enjoyable embrace.

"Don't you want to eat?" she said scathingly. "You can finish my dinner." Katara added gesturing absently to the berries now strewn across the dirt floor, but still grasping Aang's hand.

"And what about Toph?" asked Sokka, sarcastically.  
Toph grimaced slightly, but them beamed openly, "Hey, I'm good; you guys go and have a little walk." She said, one of her long black eyebrows rising. "I'll stay here and baby-sit Sokka." She laughed.

Katara smiled appreciatively.

"Hey I don't need to be…" shouted Sokka angrily; turning to Toph; but Toph stuffed a handful of berries into his mouth, cutting him off.  
Aang chuckled quietly. Katara looked at him and smiled encouragingly. Then, they turned around and walked into the forest, hand in hand.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5- Bad Thoughts**

All was quiet as the two friends walked down the forest trail. Their silence only to be disturbed by the twitter of a squirrel or chirp of a bird. The sun began to set when finally one of the pair spoke…

"Aang," Katara asked tentatively, looking up at Aang's lowered head. "I know that something is wrong with you and I want to help, but I can't do that if you won't tell me what's bothering you." She looked up at a tree as a little squirrel ran across the branches.  
"Aang, I know I can help you but you're not giving me a chance." She pleaded, her eyes taking on their usual maternal understanding. "I can't bear to see you so sad, it hurts me." she said, her voice cracking on the word _hurts_. Aang stopped walking and raised his eyes until he met her gaze. Their eyes locked for a moment.

Suddenly Aang sighed and sat down in the middle of the trail, his face in his hands, shaking his head from side to side.  
Katara sat down next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and gave a feeble smile. Then put his face back in his hands.

"I-I'm not so sure I can answer your question…" He whispered faintly. "…because I don't know the answer myself." he breathed.

"Try your best, Aang. I'm sure I'll understand" she encouraged, smiling warmly.

He looked up into her warm, caring indigo eyes and knew that whatever he said, whatever he thought, she would understand and she would try and help him.

He sighed sadly and leaned back on his hands "Well, lately I've been having some very strange dreams…"he said, pausing.

"You mean some about the avatar state?" Katara asked, her eyes flickering up to the now not-glowing arrow on his pale forehead.

He grinned slightly, the smile almost immediately slipping of his face. "No…actually I have no idea what they were about…"he added vaguely. His voice becoming reserved like he was hiding something. Katara sensed this too. She looked at him curiously waiting for him to continue.

"I dreamt about a girl." He began, hesitantly.  
Katara bristled; her coffee skin face, flushing under the white moonlight.

"And… she was an Airbender," he continued, lost in his own thoughts. "She had long dark brown hair and large hazel eyes." He mumbled softly. "Wow…what a voice…" he sighed dreamily, closing his eyes. "She sang like an angel, straight from heaven."

Katara clenched her fists.

Noticing this, "Um…Anyway," said Aang snapping back to reality. "She came up every morning to a hill and would sing too the Sun." he finished promptly.

"She sang to the sun?" Katara laughed bitterly, unable to fight off the urge to find, and strangle that stupid singing Airbender.

"Well…umm…." Aang said, turning bright red. He looked away.

"Oh no, Aang I didn't mean it that way" cried Katara astonished, cupping his chin in her slender fingers and forcing him to look at her. "Please don't stop," she pleaded. "I want too hear more." She said, pouting cutely.

"O-Ok..." he mumbled, blushing from being so close to her face.  
He coughed, and started up again, a little mortified. "Well, the girl sang a song that would wake up the sun and remind it to rise." He said simply. "But she never sang in front of people."

Katara's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Why didn't she sing in front of people if she had such a great voice?" she asked curiously.

"She was embarrassed of people hearing her…" he smiled, his voice becoming more animated. "But one day a little boy heard her sing and came too see her wake the sun. He listened to her sing and was so in love with her voice that he came every morning too listen too her," continued Aang.  
"He knew this girl was shy so when he came too listen to her sing he hid in a tree. He came every day and listened. And soon enough, he…umm…"  
Aang paused, blushing.

"Go on." Katara said encouragingly, she wanted to hear the end of the story.

His gaze lifted and their eyes met for the second time, silver to sapphire, "He fell in love with the little girl." Aang breathed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6- Confessions**

Katara paused for a moment trying to take in what Aang had just said.

_Wait… what __**had**__ he just said… No, not __**that**__… what was he implying when he said… that. Is he serious? Does he mean what I think he means._ Katara blushed at the thought.

_Snap out of it Katara! He is the Avatar he probably has a crush on that Airbender girl any way. He is too important for me…_she argued with herself furiously.

"Um…S- so why are you so sad then… it sounds like it was a good dream?" Katara stuttered.

Aang left her gaze and looked down at his folded hands in disappointment.

_How could she not get that! It was so obvious! __**I love her!**__ How could I make it clearer? Should I just come out and tell her…no, I can't do that. What if I gave her some flowers, or uh…wrote her a not…that's stupid. Oh, what I'd give to be a mind reader! Then I'd know just what to say to make her like me the way I like her._

"Aang?" Katara said quietly. Aang had been silent for almost a minute now.  
_Is he asleep?_ Katara thought, she bended over so she could see his face. She took a hand from his lap and placed her other hand on top of it.

"Oh, yeah, sorry…." He mumbled, returning from his thoughts.

"I was asking why you are so sad. The dream you had seemed nice."  
She smiled at him kindly, which probably turned out as more of a grimace as she was trying very hard to conceal the pain inside her.

"The people in my dream seemed, familiar in a way, as if I had only seen them in a dream but yet I can't remember that dream..." Aang finished quietly.

He groaned "All this remembering is making my head hurt." He said and leaned back on his elbows for support. He closed his eyes and lifted his head up towards the sky.

Katara looked at him, leaning on his hands, eyes closed, looking towards the sky, and the moonlight pouring over his perfect face.

_Wow, I never noticed how handsome his face was, or how smooth his skin is. Oh my, those arrows make him look so...handsome. And his lips, if only I could just… touch them…_

Katara extended her arm towards him almost absent mindedly. Aang hearing her movement, turned to look at her, seeing her extended hand, he gave her a puzzled look. Katara immediately drew her hand back blushing deeply.  
She bit her lip "Um… so why is this troubling you?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7- My Strength**

_That was strange. Why was she trying to touch me?_

"Oh…um…yeah well it's just that in these dreams they remind me a lot about my people and how much I miss them." Aang sighed.  
"How am I supposed to do it Katara?!" He asked suddenly, looking pleadingly at her.

"How can I master all the elements in time to defeat the Fire Lord? How do I bring peace back to the world! It's just not FAIR!" He roared, his eyes eyebrows drawn in fury. Standing up suddenly, he started running into the woods; feet hitting the ground heavily.

Katara followed him, calling for him to wait, but he just kept running. Finally catching up to him she called, "Wait! Aang!" Katara cried breathlessly, after loosing sight of him for a minute. She started a quick walk up the trail, listening intently for any sound or disturbance.

Then she heard sobbing coming from around the bend. She walked around frightened and found Aang sobbing on his knees, in the middle of the trail. She gasped and quickly ran to him, dropping to her knees and pulling him into a tight hug.  
"Aang, I know this is hard for you, but…" she breathed.

"BUT WHAT!" he screamed looking furiously at her, his face twisted up in anguish and despair. She could see his face, tear streaked and pink and his eyes, that where red from crying.

"How can you help me? How can you teach me what to do! I'll never do it! I can't do it…" He sucked in a shaky breath "I can't hurt you again…" he whispered, almost inaudibly.

Katara was so happy that it was dark so Aang could not see her burning red cheeks. _Oh my gosh! I am so stupid!_ She thought.

"Aang," she said releasing him all except for one hand, and sat down beside him. Entwining her fingers with his she began again, "I know that what you did at Jeong Jeong was an accident, and I am all healed, there was no damage done, Aang!" she said reassuringly. "You must learn Firebending in order to save the world!" she said firmly. 

She was becoming increasingly frustrated. "I know that you did not mean to hurt me and it's OK!" she paused, as she had begun to shout and she could see new tears forming in the corner of his eyes. She bent down slowly until her lips were barely an inch away from his ear "Aang, if you can't master Firebending, then how can I be proud of my brave, strong avatar?", she breathed, her hot breath tickling Aang's ear. 

Katara heard his sharp intake of breath and could feel the warmth coming off his skin that showed his was blushing just as badly as she was. "Ok Katara, if that is how you feel…" he said hesitantly. "But I promised!" he cried, looking right into her face.

"I know you promised but that's all behind us! We need to think about what is happening here and NOW!" she said strongly, "You can't let the past keep you from moving into the future!"

Katara sighed "The world needs the avatar to help restore peace and harmony…they need you to do that…and so do I." she whispered.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8- Early Riser**

Sani walked down her village road towards her home; for she was sure that her mentor would be very worried. She had been recently taken to going off early in the morning and not returning till the light had left the sky and the first few stars were twinkling brightly. Actually, she had always been waking up before dawn, and she could never sleep in because for some reason her body would not let her.  
She would get dressed and ready, then go outside and try to occupy herself while everyone was waking up. One morning, while everyone was still fast asleep she was strolling through the gardens and practicing some airbending tricks that her mentor had taught her and she found herself at the base of the tallest hill in the village.

_Well, why not go and explore up there?_ She thought, _I have never been so high before. Besides, no one is waking up anytime soon._

She climbed to the top of the hill, falling every few feet, recovering with some airbending but growing accustomed to the climb as time wore on. When she reached the top of the hill she gasped, and her eyes widened in awe. She saw a spectacular sunrise, with the bright orange yellow sun, just beginning to creep over the horizon and tint the skies with its warm golden rays.

It was as if she could feel the sunlight fill her up and envelope her in a warm, comfortable embrace. And suddenly, out of nowhere, she opened her lips and let out a beautiful sound. It was like the flow of milk and honey, and the clear as an ice crystal found sparkling in the part-sunlit day. The sound of a thousand angels singing in chorus all combined into one voice. Her voice reverberating off the mountains and back to her, giving her power and joy that made her open her heart even more. Then she sang again and again until she was practically exploding with energy. Then she stopped and sat down from exhaustion. She lay back on the soft grass and let her thoughts drift away…she soon fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9- The Stars are Brighter Tonight**

Sokka grunted and he rolled over onto his back hitting his head on a boulder. He pulled up his sleeping bag trying to cover his head and block out all sound. He could smell the musty scent of his socks and sweat mixed with the sweet sour scent of his cloths. He groaned and finally decided to go outside to eat. **(A/N: LOL! I'm sorry I couldn't help it.)**

He struggled out of his sleeping bag and threw his boots on, hopping on one foot out of his tent trying to manage his other boot on. He trudged over to the supplies bag and heard Toph grumble and shift in her sleep. He sighed and kept rustling though the pack.

Sokka sat down near the long-died-out fire and munched on a half-eaten banana that Katara hadn't finished earlier. He lay back near the fire and rested his head on the pack as he gazed at the stars; they seemed to be a bit brighter tonight. Sokka's mind began to wander…

_I wonder what it is like to be blind. Can she see my face? Her own? Hmmm…How does she do her hair…her long, silky, raven black hair…_He shook the thought of Toph's hair away.

_Or how does she dress herself? Does Katara help her? _The thought of an undressed Toph was making his cheeks warm.

Sokka's grumbled unintelligently and rolled onto his side.

_Where is she? I cant bear it. Ever since she left I have no one…she is dead and I loved her so much…But I have to move on. That is what Suki would have wanted. I must love another… _

Sokka's gaze lingered subconsciously over to where Toph slept. A single tear slid from his eye. He took a deep breath to hold back any more tears from escaping his eyes but they continued to flow down his tan cheeks. One tear by one, until his face was almost completely wet and his breathing was short and choked. He covered his face with his hands and continued to sob.  
Then suddenly out of nowhere, a giant line of rocks was sent hurling in his direction. Sokka had a split second to think, but he instantly registered one simple thing _"Ouch!"_ before he was sent hurling into the air and landed right in the middle of a thorny bush.

Sokka heard Toph's rock tent open and she quickly strategized her way over to where he was laying helplessly stuck. She gasped and chuckled quietly when she felt who she had hit. "Hey Snoozles, catching some Z's?" she asked sarcastically.

He blushed and squirmed, crying out in pain when his shirt got caught on a thorn and tore, leaving a long scratch down his forearm. Toph's porcelain face furrowed in concern and her glassy eyes suddenly became worried. She bent over to help him up, but hesitated seeing as in he was much larger then herself and would be very hard to lift.

Toph quickly stepped back, and with some jagged hand motions, sent a rock shooting out of the earth, right from under where Sokka rested. Propelling him out off the bush, he stumbled over the dirt and tripped on a stone which sent him flying head first into the dirt and Toph heard a gruesome crunching noise as he landed face flat on the floor. She flinched almost feeling his pain through the earth and Toph hurried over to him and gingerly helped him up.

Sokka groaned and seemed unable to support his own weight, stumbling a bit as she balanced him on her shoulder. He slumped against her as she carried him over to her tent and Toph laid him down carefully and fell on her knees beside him. Her senses activated and her adrenaline spiked as she sensed two people approaching. Toph quietly got up to go and investigate, but stopped and looked at Sokka who was still mumbling and groaning nonsense in pain.

Toph thought twice and slowly made her way back into the tent, closing off the door as she squeezed in next to Sokka. Toph almost had to sit on his lap in order to fit inside the dry rock tent and she blushed crimson when she noticed how warm his body felt beside hers.

Toph hushed her movements and waited in silence for the two people to come into range, to see if she could sense any signs that may help her recognize them. A few more moments of waiting and she heard the distinct voices of a young Airbender, formally known as "Twinkle Toes", and her sometimes friend and other times rival water bender friend approach the fire. Toph thought to herself about the two's arrivals timing (past midnight) and grinned mischievously.

_My, they sure are back late…_

"Well, I see Sokka has had his usual, midnight snack." Katara said looking at the banana peel lying by the dying fire. Aang walked towards her until he was at her side, and looked at the trail of rocks Toph had made when she had attacked Sokka.

"That's strange." He exclaimed. "Do you think we should go check on Toph?"

Katara gave him a strange look, as if to convince him Toph wasn't the one who needed checking on.

"Uh… I mean Sokka." Aang blushed and smiled. Katara giggled as she intertwined her fingers with his. "I don't think Sokka would appreciate that."

Toph breathed a sigh of relief, and cuddled up into Sokka's warm chest, closing her eyes, and willing her self to sleep.

"Let's just go to bed…" Katara laughed again and she strutted over to her sleeping bag. As Aang was preparing for bed, he couldn't help but glance with content gray eyes at his love's slim yet curvy figure as she turned and bent. She danced around preparing for bed.  
As her long, elegant braid reaching the small of her back, swung gently from side to side as she moved.

Aang crawled into his sleeping bag after settling it right next to Katara's. She smiled warmly at this as he looked back sheepishly. As they lay there for a while, sharing the same thoughts and staring at the stars. Katara squirmed a bit, and slid ever so slightly closer to Aang.  
Then, again, she nudged closer to him until there sleeping bags were touching and they were cuddled up closely. Katara shifted to her side and stared at Aang with a smile. He looked into her eyes and they seemed to be glowing beautifully in the moonlight.

"Aang…"she whispered. But he already knew, and moved his head and arm to support him as he traced her jaw lightly with his fingertips. He cupped her chin him his strong hands and Katara leaned forwards, until their lips met pulling themselves into a passionate kiss. They broke apart and Katara rolled over onto Aang and gave him a hug. "I love you." She breathed.

A tear slowly rolled down Aang's pale cheek and he smiled at her, hugging her closely. "I love you too…"


End file.
